The present state of England. Part III. and Part IV. containing I. an account of the riches, strength, magnificence, natural production, manufactures of this island, with an exact catalogue of the nobility, and their seats, &c., II. the trade and commerce within it self, and with all countries traded to by the English, as at this day established, and all other matters relating to inland and marine affairs : supplying what is omitted in the two former parts ...

CHAP. XXVII. A View of Cairo, and the Trade, Weights, Measures, and Customs thereof.

CAiro is a famous City, Situate in the vast Plain beneath the Mountains of Mucatun, and not above 2 Miles from the Bank of Nilus, adorned with many state∣ly Buildings, as Pallaces, Colledges, Tem∣ples, and the like; and has in it a large Burse, or Exchange of 3 Story high, the first of which consists of Ware-Houses, for Gross Goods; in the second, is laid up Musk, Amber, Silks, Spices, and the like; and in the third the Merchants who have Ware-Houses, there lodg with their Reti∣nues; which Merchants are of 6 sorts, first the Native Egyptians; secondly the Arabi∣ans, or Moors; thirdly the Merchants of Europe Christians; fourthly the Turks; fifthly the Jews, and sixthly the Christians of Affrica, as, Greeks, Armenians, &c.

The Lord of this City, and Country is the grand Signeour who governs by his Ba∣shaw

or Vice-King. The Commodities Traded for by the Europian Merchants, are Flax, Rice, Balsoms, Puls, Fruits, Cot∣tons, Sugars, Hemp, and the like; which according to the overflowing of Nilus the Soil yields in plenty, or Scarcity, so that when they have a plentiful Year; they make a Feast to Nilus, or the River God; as they Term him, and exceedingly Rejoyce thereto.

The yearly Revenue of this Kingdom, accrueing by Customs, and other ways a∣mount to 3 Millions of Sheraffes, each valued at 8 Shillings Sterling, one Million of which is sent to the grand Signeur, one for maintaining the forces of the Kingdom, and the other to enable the Bashaw to keep his Court.

The Customs are either payed in Species or compounded for at 10 per cent. only Money entred pays but one and a half per cent. but outward all Commodities pay 11 per cent. which is accounted the Soldan's Custom.

The Customs of Alexandria are farmed by the Jews at 20000 Medins per diem, which according to computation, amounts to 55000 pounds per Annum Sterling.

Their Weights and Measures, are the same with those of Alexandria.

The Currant Coyns in Egypt, are Spa∣nish Royals of 8 which they call Piastre, and Dollers the Meden the Asper the Sol∣tana, Xeriffe, and Cheqeen, the value of each as before recited.

Their Accounts are variously kept, some in one sort of Coyn, and some in ano∣ther. The chief Trade driven here by the European Christians, is by the French, and Venetians; the English having of late declined it, as having the growth of the Country or the same Commodities, at cheaper Rates in India, and Aleppo. And thus much for the Continent of Egypt.